Road dust contribution to PM levels – Evaluation of the effectiveness of street washing activities by means of Positive Matrix Factorization

The primary aim of this study was to quantify the contribution of road dust to airborne particulate matter (PM10) and evaluate the effects of street washing on the mitigation of resuspension. With this purpose an intensive campaign was carried out in a heavily trafficked central road of Madrid (Spain) including PM10 sampling and chemical analysis. PM10 daily levels during dry, unwashed conditions were 2–15% higher than those present during the day after nightly street washing. However, this reduction is lower than the standard deviation of the PM10 measurements. The diurnal variation of PM10 revealed that a reduction in PM10 was noticeable only during the morning hours.The emission sources for the urban area of Madrid were resolved by means of a receptor model, Positive Matrix Factorization, PMF. The results showed that the main sources were vehicle emissions, road dust, secondary aerosol including sulphate and nitrate, and soil. Vehicle emissions and road dust were the major contributor to PM10 particle mass with similar average contributions of 31% and 29% respectively. The effect of street washing was also evaluated by examining the daily variation of the road dust source contribution between days with and without street washing. The mass contribution from the road dust source was ∼2 μg m−3 lower during the days that street washing was implemented with this corresponding to a reduction of 15% of its mass contribution during the days that the road surface was left untreated.

► We quantify the contribution of road dust to airborne particulate matter (PM10).
► We investigate the effects of street washing on the mitigation of resuspension.
► PM10 chemical components concentrations were slightly reduced during street washing.
► Mass contribution of road dust aerosol source was lower during street washing period.
► There is evidence of a beneficial (short-lived) effect of street washing on PM10.